Good news for States people. The budget has finally been unveiled in the Rajasthan Assembly, presented by Finance Minister Diya Kumari. She made several significant announcements during her speech, with a strong focus on solar and water schemes. There were also major updates regarding job creation.
In the coming year, the government plans to create 1.25 lakh government jobs and aims to provide employment for 1.5 lakh individuals in the private sector.
To ease the burden on residents, the state government announced that free electricity will now be available for up to 150 units, an increase from the previous limit of 100 units.
A special allocation has been made for the newly formed districts in Rajasthan, with Rs 1000 crore earmarked for their development. Additionally, steel utensil banks will be established in the gram panchayats.
The government is also focusing on the drinking water sector, with plans to recruit 1050 new technical positions. They aim to install 1500 hand pumps and 1000 tube wells over the next year.
Here are 10 key highlights from the budget:
1. A new phase of the Jaipur Metro will kick off, along with the introduction of 500 new buses to enhance transportation. The plan includes expanding the ring road to alleviate traffic in 15 cities, including Jaisalmer, Jhalawar, Dungarpur, and Balotra.
2. The BRTS in Jaipur will be dismantled, and Rs 250 crore will be allocated specifically for road improvements in the city, along with the addition of 500 buses in urban areas.
3. The budget includes the construction of 9 expressways in Rajasthan, the establishment of Yuva Sathi Centres to address rising youth suicide rates, and the implementation of the Maa Netra Voucher Scheme, with a budget of Rs 75 crores.
4. Anganwadi kids are set to receive milk for five days instead of just three. There’s also a plan to launch Annapurna Bhandar, which will come with a cost of over 200 crores.
5. The state government has rolled out more initiatives for farmers, including a boost in the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi amount to Rs 9,000 starting next year.
6. In Rajasthan, Agniveers will now have reserved spots in fire services.
7. This budget puts a spotlight on green development. Rajasthan’s Finance Minister Diya Kumari revealed a green budget of Rs 27,854 crore aimed at forest development, with plans to plant 10 crore saplings.
8. The budget also includes plans to build hostels for working women at the district level in Rajasthan, with the government allocating Rs 35 crore for this initiative.
9. To tackle the rising suicide rates among students, Diya Kumari announced the creation of Yuva Sathi Centres, which will help address youth stress and mental health issues.
What’s in it for women this time around?
The ‘Lakhpati Didi’ scheme under the Rajivika Mission is being expanded to support 20 lakh women financially. This initiative will provide loans of up to Rs 1 lakh at a reduced interest rate of 1.5%, down from the previous 2.5%.